Eagle Farm race-by-race preview & quaddie | Queensland Oaks Day

Race 1: Benchmark 85 Handicap (1800m)

A few weeks ago, Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou took three runners to Eagle Farm and all three saluted in fine style. On Saturday, are taking just one horse up, with OCEANIC FLASH looking to give them a 100% strike rate on the day. The four-year-old gelding was on a winning spree roughly six months ago, winning three consecutive races, before running third and then returning to the winner’s stall at his next start. The son of Sacred Falls has had two runs in this preparation, having to deal with heavy tracks on both occasions which just isn’t his go. He now finds himself third-up at 1800m on a dry surface, so we expect him to be going very close in the opener under Tommy Berry.

• 10
  

  OCEANIC FLASH

• 1
  

  BARTHOLOMEU DIAS

• 4
  

  YOUNGBLOOD

• 2
  

  BARADE

Race 2: Class 6 Handicap (1400m)

This is one of the better Class 6 Handicaps that you will see in Brisbane, with a number of good and in-form horses set to go around. VENTURA OCEAN looks like he has been completely missed by the market at around $9 with online bookmakers, bringing strong form lines from The Archer at Rockhampton last start. The Kris Lees-trained six-year-old didn’t have much of a winning chance in the 1300m weight-for-age event, but he held his own, running seventh just three lengths off the winner, Emerald Kingdom. Finishing second in that race was Apache Chase who won the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup last Saturday, while Holyfield and Niccanova were both beaten less than half a length in the Group 3 BRC Sprint last weekend. Ventura Ocean has never missed the placings at Eagle Farm in three starts, winning two of those, while Andrew Mallyon has a terrific record in the saddle aboard him. He is almost the bet of the day on Saturday at that price.

• 4
  

  VENTURA OCEAN

• 6
  

  PALLADAS

• 7
  

  FRANCESSO GUARDI

• 9
  

  BOLD AND LUCY

Race 3: Listed The Phoenix (1500m)

We said that Ventura Ocean was almost the bet of the day – emphasis on almost – and that is because POLITICAL DEBATE is the bet of the day. The Chris Waller-trained two-year-old needs to win or finish second to gain a start in next weekend’s Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) – a race that he is currently favourite for. The colt by So You Think has looked brilliant in his two starts to date, finishing in the minor money on both occasions. Last start in the Spirit Of Boom Classic, the Coolmore-owned galloper got a long way back over 1200m and made up a tonne of ground along the inside, dead-heating for third before running away from the leaders past the post. He is bred to be a serious horse over a mile and potentially 2000m, so we are expecting to see him take care of this field over 1500m on Saturday. James McDonald stays with him, they’ve drawn barrier three and will get every chance to win. There’s something about this horse that reminds us of Press Statement and dare we say it, The Autumn Sun.

• 10
  

  POLITICAL DEBATE

• 12
  

  WEST OF AFRICA

• 3
  

  HEROIC SON

• 5
  

  SHARP ‘N’ SMART

Race 4: Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m)

The second Listed event of the afternoon is the Bill Carter Stakes for two-year-old fillies over 1200m. We are not surprised to see some early market support for the Desleigh Forster-trained EXO LADY who comes off a win in the Dalrello Stakes, a runner up effort in the Spirit Of Boom Classic and then a midfield performance last weekend in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, where she was just outclassed over 1400m. Back to 1200m against her own sex, the filly by Exopshere could very well get a picnic out in front under Jim Byrne and be too zippy and too fit for her rivals. She is a very talented two-year-old, winning four of her seven starts and earning over $350,000 in prizemoney in that time.

• 1
  

  EXO LADY

• 2
  

  PLYMSTOCK

• 5
  

  ZOUGOTCHA

• 7
  

  MIDNIGHT IN TOKYO

Race 5: Listed Lightning Stakes (1000m)

They will go quick in the Lightning Stakes on Saturday, with speed galore in the 1000m event. We are big fans of CONTEMPTUOUS as he has been a four-legged ATM machine in the body of a horse over his racing journey, winning seven of his 12 starts including his last four. The son of Rubick has had a few issues, so trainers Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted have been patient with him, spacing his runs and placing him perfectly. While Saturday’s Listed event is his acid test, we are confident that the five-year-old entire will be able to absorb the pressure and still be strong late over 1000m. Kerrin McEvoy is in the saddle from barrier five, so we know that Contemptuous will be given every chance to make it five wins in a row.

• 7
  

  CONTEMPTUOUS

• 3
  

  GARIBALDI

• 6
  

  ESTA LA ROCA

• 9
  

  BOOMNOVA

Race 6: Magic Millions National Classic (1600m)

Nine mares will contest Saturday’s $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic, and Chris Waller holds the key with four of the nine runners. NUDGE has always been a mare we have had plenty of time for, and with her retirement beckoning, we have to be with her for what could be the last time. The five-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock has now won over $1 million in prizemoney from her 28 career starts, with last year’s Brisbane Winter Carnival partly to thank for that. In her two runs at this track, Nudge was a winner and then she ran second to Tofane in the Group 1 Tattersalls Tiara at the end of the carnival. She was an eye-catcher first-up in the Hawkesbury Gold Crown (1300m), so the rise to the mile at a track she loves should be right up her alley. Nash Rawiller can get the best out of her.

• 1
  

  NUDGE

• 3
  

  ATISHU

• 2
  

  KIKU

• 8
  

  NEVER TALK

Race 7: Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m)

Seen as though we made a big case for Ventura Ocean earlier in the day, we have to be with BULLFINCH almost by default in the Spear Chief Handicap, considering he beat Ventura Ocean by 1.75 lengths last-start. The Waller army are in full force on Saturday at Brisbane, and this in-form galloper looks to add another string to the stable’s bow. In Bullfinch’s last three starts at Eagle Farm, he has won two and placed third on the other occasion, and even then, that defeat was only by one tenth of a length. The five-year-old son of Kodiac now has to take his form to the next level if he is to win a Listed race, but he is flying and it isn’t the strongest of Listed races.

• 11
  

  BULLFINCH

• 8
  

  NEVER NO MORE

• 1
  

  KUBRICK

• 10
  

  LA GAI SOLEIL

Race 8: Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m)

While the Moreton Cup isn’t a Group 1, the winner gets a spot in the final field in next Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap – the jewel in the crown of the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Interestingly, only Kementari and Niccanova hold Stradbroke nominations, so if any of the other 10 horses were to win, connections would have to think long and hard about paying the close to $20,000 late nomination fee if they wanted to press on. We don’t think it will come to that though, because Steve Tregea has already nominated NICCANOVA, and that’s who we think will win. The eight-year-old gelding has been a marvel, winning 10 of his 49 starts and earning well over $1 million in prizemoney. He only beat one home in The Archer, but he jumped out of his skin back to Eagle Farm last start when third, just two tenths of a length off Soxagon in the Group 3 BRC Sprint over 1300m. Back to 1200m is a slight query, but there will be plenty of speed here to set it up for Niccanova and Anthony Allen to storm over the top. He deserves his chance in a third Stradbroke after being beaten only half a length in 2020.

• 3
  

  NICCANOVA

• 1
  

  KEMENTARI

• 11
  

  LETZBEGLAM

• 12
  

  CENTREFIRE

Race 9: Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m)

The only Group 1 race on Saturday’s 10-race card is the $700,000 Queensland Oaks. A good field of three-year-old fillies has been assembled, headlined by star Queensland stayer, Gypsy Goddess. We have identified our top four selections, as well as a $100 betting strategy for the 2200m event. Read HorseBetting’s betting preview for the 2022 Queensland Oaks.

Race 10: Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m)

To finish off the card, a field of 15 three-year-olds will do battle over 1200m, with $116,000 going to the winning connections. It is a very competitive race with a number of group horses, but we are siding with an up and comer in ARENTEE. The Chris Meagher-trained gelding surprised us with his win in Class 3 company two starts ago after winning a midweek maiden, but he proved it was no fluke at his latest start, running third to Ranch Hand in a 3YO Plate on Doomben 10,000 Day. From barrier five, Kerrin McEvoy will have the son of Territories in a forward spot, allowing him to get into a rhythm and show that nice turn of foot that he has shown of late. He can return to the winner’s stall on Saturday.

• 6
  

  ARENTEE

• 3
  

  ATHELRIC

• 2
  

  INGRATIATING

• 11
  

  STELLAR MAGIC